You may enter Costco with an empty cart one moment — as many do — and exit it the next, cart filled to the brim with things you can’t even remember putting there. You’ll suddenly have new Tupperware, a gigantic bag of oranges, maybe a television stashed underneath. As tough as it is to admit it, Costco can’t solve all of your problems. Trader Joe’s, on the other hand, certainly can. A trip to Trader Joe’s is a sensory experience, bright, colorful, and intimate. You move through the guided aisles with more purpose and less autopilot.
The smaller grocery store (smaller in both size of store and size of product) understands a few things better than Costco does. From its lack of membership fees, to the endless variety of snacks, to the diet-friendly options, TJ’s is a warm hug to Costco’s firm handshake. When the big box store doesn’t cut it, Trader Joe’s is there to save you.
It has cheaper versions of your takeout favorites
For those who crave the messy bliss of takeout butter chicken, spaghetti and meatballs, or fried rice on a concerning regular basis, Trader Joe’s won’t set you back as much. It will cost you less than five bucks for a sizable portion of Indian takeout favorites like chicken tikka masala, for instance. These meals are also frozen, which means you can fill up a cart or two and stock them in your freezer.
You’ll be able to find food from all around the world in the freezer aisle of Trader Joe’s, unlike Costco, which has a more limited selection of global cuisines. These quick meals are easy to throw together. Not only that, but they look and taste delicious, as well. Customers particularly love the hall-of-fame mandarin orange chicken, one of the best frozen entrées at the store. It tastes just like the one from your favorite Chinese takeout restaurant, if not even better.
You’ll find a more varied and unique snack selection
There is perhaps no better place for that strange, hyper-specific snack craving that hits you like a truck every once in a while than Trader Joe’s. Crispiness abounds here: Phyllo crackers packed with cranberries and seeds, blue cheese potato chips, and French onion popcorn are a few of the unique snacks you can enjoy from the store. The variety and singularity of these snacks are only beaten by their amazing taste.
On the flip side, Costco’s snacks are more tame in taste, made for the less adventurous. Though certainly still fun to snack on, many Kirkland Signature snacks are a little less nuanced and exciting than ones found at Trader Joe’s. On the contrary, the old-school grocery store has both savory and sweet answers to your cravings, including these unique ones like ube tea cookies and brookie caramel candy clusters.
You can avoid buying things in bulk
Trader Joe’s is a much better option for those looking to cook for fewer people, especially as the holidays come around. Since the bulk store has a bag of onions the size of a house, it tends to be difficult to shop at Costco for just one or two people. Trader Joe’s, on the other hand, has smaller portions of its snacks, meals, and produce, making for a leaner holiday season future-you will thank you for. The frozen meals mentioned above tend to be single serving, as well, so calculating the food you need to get for any sort of larger gathering is also made simple.
Smaller portions also means less waste for your trash. Bulk-store shopping might actually cost you more than it saves you when food waste is factored in. If you want to move through your culinary life with more intention, here are some food scraps you actually shouldn’t throw out; you can get more out of your food than you think.
It has loads of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options
While Trader Joe’s is retro in aesthetic, Costco is retro in spirit: You’ll find classic meat-and-potatoes takeaway dishes, creamy desserts, and glutinous snacks. Unfortunately, this also means it is difficult to shop there if you have any dietary restrictions. For vegans, your protein options are limited to tofu, meat-free chicken tenders, and Beyond burger patties, which — though certainly many people’s cup of tea — can become rote after a while. Costco has a handful of gluten-free options for snacks and meals as well, but not much to write home about.
Trader Joe’s, on the other hand, has incredible options for those who are gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian. Once again, it excels in accessible global cuisine: beef-less bulgogi, spinach ravioli, and soy chorizo are all popular vegan items at the store. If you’re gluten-free, watch out for the everything bagels, chocolate doughnut holes, pancake mixes, and pizza dough, which all have rave reviews online.
There are unique seasonal options which change often
As lovable as Costco is as soon as you enter the store, you might not be wowed by how much it has changed since the last time you walked in. Trader Joe’s, on the other hand, reinvents itself on the regular. Each season has rotating specials that customers go wild for. In the fall, pumpkin coffee and apple cider jam are essentials; as the colder holidays come around, a gingerbread oat creamer for your coffee and some danish cookies are getting rave reviews. In the warmer months, sparkling watermelon juice and pickle mustard fly off the shelves.
It isn’t just food to get excited for; TJ’s makes dog treats, hand creams, and decorations for every season. It truly becomes a different store each time you go, but with the same vintage, warming soul. The only downside is you’ll wish these items were available at all times of the year.
There is some secret fun for your kids, too
Trader Joe’s actually has an under-the-radar game for your kids, involving a hidden stuffed animal around the store. Employees hide the toy, and your kid might be the lucky one who finds and gets a piece of candy or other prize as reward.
Besides this fun game, the store itself is so charming, and the groceries wide-ranging, that shopping will be the highlight of the day with them. You can grab a kid-sized cart and fill it up with Trader Joe’s special snacks. The food is also great for kids without being “baby” food: Freeze-dried fruit, applesauce pouches, and mac and cheese are popular picks for the toddlers of the world. One of the most prized items for kids is the Bambas peanut snacks, salty little jewels of corn grits and peanut paste that are amazingly good. Once your kid finds these, Trader Joe’s will be an essential stop on the way home from school. They’ll have just as much fun as you will as you shop through the aisles.
You don’t have to pay any membership fees
Costco’s undoubtedly a fun club to be in, but it is just that: a club. To enter the store and shop there, you have to be a member, which may be a significant monetary investment for some. There are also several tiers of membership which vary in cost and perks.
Trader Joe’s levels the playing field. You won’t have to scan any membership card or even coupons when you go in or check out. This means every person who walks in is in the same boat. There may be several reasons why it offers no membership or loyalty perks, but it all comes back to its emphasis on the customer experience. People routinely praise the face-to-face interactions they have with Trader Joe’s workers, and they return home with full bags and wallets intact. There are no “select shoppers” at Trader Joe’s; everyone can get those Jingle Jangle cookies who wants them.